The goal of this project is to increase patient adherence to medication using communications and incentives for physicians. The investigators are partnering with a health insurance company, Humana Inc, to design and implement an incentives program for physicians whose patients increase their medication adherence for oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and/or cholesterol (statins) medication. The investigators will use behavioral economics to explore the best way to communicate the incentives to the physicians.

Further study details as provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.:

Primary Outcome Measures:

Medication Adherence [ Time Frame: Up to two years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The investigators will see how the treatment arms affect the targeted physicians' patients medication adherence for oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication.

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Demographic Controls for Physicians [ Time Frame: Up to two years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The investigators will see if our targeted physicians' demographic controls affect their patients' medication adherence rates before and after treatment.

Demographic Controls for Patients [ Time Frame: Up to 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The investigators will see how demographic controls for patients affect our targeted physicians' patients' medication adherence.

Physicians are given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Other Name: Adherence

Experimental: Comp incentives + comp communication + non-white paper

Physicians are given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication, and their patient reports are printed on non-white bright colored paper.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Other Name: Adherence

Experimental: Focused incentives + focused comm for hypertension meds

Physicians are given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Other Name: Adherence

Experimental: Comprehensive communiation

Physicians are given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Other Name: Adherence

Experimental: Comprehensive communication + non-white paper

Physicians are given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication and patient reports are printed on non-white paper.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Other Name: Adherence

Experimental: Control Arm

Physicians and their patient adherence is tracked, but they receive no intervention.

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. For half of the arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to further draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

Other Name: Adherence

Detailed Description:

Traditional economics would suggest that the best way to maximize adherence would be to give physicians financial incentives to improve adherence to all relevant drugs, and that communications to physicians should emphasize all of the relevant drugs. Behavioral economics suggests theory suggests that if you emphasize everything, then you are effectively emphasizing nothing. Behavioral econonmics would suggest to maximize adherence one should give physicians financial incentives for improving adherence for a small number of relevant drugs, and communications to physicians should emphasize a small number of the relevant drugs. This allows physicians to focus their energy and reduces the probability that they will give up because they're overwhelmed, or in other words, avoid the phenomenon called metric fatigue.

Humana has already implemented an incentives program for physicians, and the investigators will work with them to design a program that just focuses on medication adherence. Physicians targeted for this pilot could also be enrolled in another Humana incentives program, but this incentives program will act independently of the other.

There are two treatment dimensions the investigators will test via random assignment at the practice level:

Physicians given financial incentives for improving patient medication adherence for all of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and cholesterol (statins) medication vs. one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, or cholesterol (statins) medication.

Physicians given communication emphasizing the importance of improving adherence to all of the previous medication classes vs. one one of the previous medication classes.

In a previous study to increase uptake of colonoscopies among employees at a partner firm, the investigators found that using a post it note to catch the attention of the employee statistically significantly increased colonoscopy uptake over a control group. The investigators will also employ an eye catching method in the proposed pilot. When physicians are sent a communication regarding the opportunity to receive an incentive as part of our pilot, they will also receive a single patient sheet for each patient who has less than 80% adherence. They will be encouraged to include the patient sheet in their chart as a reminder to discuss medication adherence with their patient the next time they see them. For half of our arms, the investigators will make the patient sheets a bright, non-white, color, in order to futher draw the physicians' attention to that specific paper in their chart.

The investigators hypothesize that physicians who receive focused incentives and focused communications will have more patients with increased medication adherence than physicians who receive comprehensive incentives and comprehensive communications. The investigators also hypothsize that physicians who receive patient sheets using bright, non-white paper will have more patients with increased medication adherence than physicians who receive plain white patient sheets.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

65 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Physician in the Humana network

Treats Humana Medicare Advantage Members

Has Humana Medicare Advantage members who are taking at least one of the following medications: oral diabetes medication, hypertension (ACEI or ARB) medication, and/or cholesterol (statins) medication, and who are less than 80% adherent.

Exclusion Criteria:

Practices with more than 10 physicians

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01603329